About
Shekar is co-founder, managing partner, and growth coach at Upekkha, an early-stage AI fund and accelerator where he advises startups on financial discipline, investment strategy, enterprise sales, go-to-market, partnerships, compliance, and organizational scaling. His background includes roles at Xylan (which went public and was acquired by Alcatel for $3 billion), Allegro Networks, and NetApp, where he expanded India operations and built the Asia Pacific OEM business from zero to $30 million in revenue. He holds an M.S. in computer science, is a candidate for an M.S. in electrical engineering from CSUN, and holds a U.S. patent in data communications and networking.
Experience
- UpekkhaCo-founder, Coach, Managing Partnercurrent2017 β presentSan Francisco Bay Area
- Self-EmployedPartnercurrent2014 β presentBangalore
- K7 ComputingExecutive VP2013 β 2014
- Elina NetworksCEO2008 β 2011Bangalore, India
- NetAppPresident, General Manager NetApp India & APAC OEM Business2004 β 2008Bangalore, India
- Thomas Weisel PartnersEntrepreneur In Residence (EIR)2003 β 2004Menlo Park, California, USA
- Allegro NetworksCo-Founder, Director, V.P. Product Development2000 β 2003San Jose, California, USA
- Alcatel-Lucent EnterpriseTechnical Director, Manager, Principal Engineer1994 β 2000Calabasas, California, USA
- Ascom TimeplexSenior Software Engineer1990 β 1994Irvine, California, USA
- UnisysSoftware Engineer1989 β 1990Flemington, New Jersey, USA
- IntelSoft (a subsidiary of Intel in Chennai India)Systems Software Engineer1987 β 1989MEPZ, Chennai, India
Education
- California State University, NorthridgeM.S., Computer Science1992 β 1994
- California State University, NorthridgeM.S. Candidate in Electrical and Electronics1994 β 1996
- Indian Institute of Management BangaloreCertificate in Executive General Management (EGMP), General Management1998 β 1999
- National Institute of Technology, TiruchirappalliB.E., Computer Science & Engineering1983 β 1987
Skills & more
Information TechnologyB2B softwareInternet ServicesStart-up EnvironmentLarge EnterpriseBusiness DevelopmentSales ManagementProduct DevelopmentCustomer ServiceLeadershipGeneral ManagementEnterprise Software
+3 more
Asia PacificUSAIndiaLanguages English Β· Hindi Β· Kannada Β· Malayalam Β· Tamil
From Shekar's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended California State University, Northridge18
Serafina MaulupeExecutive Assistant at Navitas CapitalBrian KadotaDirector of Venture Operations at Wavemaker Three-Sixty HealthJeff SchmidtHead of Commercialization at Energize VenturesMarcel LopezSupply Chain and Operations Partner at True Beauty VenturesJenna BryantGeneral Partner at Embedded VenturesPamela KleinVenture Partner at Ysios Capital
+ 12 more
Also attended Indian Institute of Management Bangalore61
Megha PrakashVenture Partner at Episode1Ashu GargInvestor at Foundation CapitalVinay SinghCo-Founder & Partner at Fireside Ventures Advisory LlpRahul MehtaCo-founder at DST GlobalNishit GargPartner, Asia at RTP GlobalSangeeta BAVIHead of Startups and Growth, Anthropic India at Seafund
+ 55 more
Also attended National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli14
Job SimonVenture Partner and CTO at Monta Vista CapitalSuresh BalasubramanianInvestor at Storm VenturesNachi DasExperts | Global Market Expansion & Growth at 212Anil KurugantiPartner at GP BullhoundSwathi DhamodaranAssociate, Growth Equity at Trifecta Capital AdvisorsShub BhattacharyaInvestments at Foundamental
+ 8 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Elina Networks1
Also worked at NetApp33
Job SimonVenture Partner and CTO at Monta Vista CapitalAditya ReddyVice President at Sapphire VenturesKamesh RaghavendraChief Product Officer at The HiveLucy MangasGo-To-Market at Roble VenturesCindy WorthingtonInvestor Relations Advisor at How Women InvestMoe KermaniManaging Partner at Vanedge Capital
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+ 27 more
Also worked at Thomas Weisel Partners21
Scott CutlerInvestor at EPIC VENTURESAmanda MaestriHead of Investor Relations at Reach CapitalEmily HerreraInvestor at VMG PartnersMatt EmeryPartner at JMI EquityColin MoffetAssociate at VCFA GroupRyan StroubCFO at Cowboy Ventures
+ 15 more
Also worked at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise5
Colleagues at Upekkha
Bhavya
Manager - Investments at Upekkha
Fahad
Head - Investor Relations & Seed Funding at Upekkha
Gokul
Partner at Upekkha
Jeyashrri. G
Virtual Assistant at Upekkha
Nisha
Associate, Accelerator Operations at Upekkha
Prasanna Krishnamoorthy
CEO and Co-founder, Upekkha at NSRCEL
Tanuka
Head, Program & Community at Upekkha
Thiyagarajan (Rajan)
Managing Partner at Upekkha